Wayne Rooney has delivered a scathing assessment of Tottenham’s current plight, warning that the London side are firmly embroiled in a relegation battle. Following a demoralising 2-0 defeat to Manchester United, Rooney suggested that Thomas Frank’s side are looking over their shoulders. However, the former England captain also offered a surprising defence of Cristian Romero after his dismissal.The alarm bells are ringing louder than ever at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following yet another disastrous weekend in the Premier League. A toothless 2-0 defeat at the hands of United has left Spurs languishing in the bottom half of the table, currently sitting in 15th place. For a club that narrowly avoided the drop by finishing 17th last season, the current trajectory is starting to look ominously familiar to the disgruntled fans.Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former United and England talisman did not mince his words when discussing the club's precarious position. Rooney asserted that Tottenham are now in a "genuine relegation battle," noting that the team has now gone seven Premier League matches without a single victory. With the gap to the bottom three narrowing, Rooney suggested that Spurs players must stop looking at the top six and start worrying about the likes of Nottingham Forest and West Ham, who are breathing down their necks.Rooney’s analysis focused on the psychological and tactical collapse occurring under Thomas Frank. He believes the club is now in a position where every fixture carries the weight of a survival scrap. “You'd have to say they are [in a relegation battle] with their current form,” Rooney stated. “West Ham have been in form, Nottingham Forest pick up results here and there. You can't think that they're not in a relegation battle where they are. I think they'll definitely be looking over their shoulders”.The former striker expressed deep concern that the players may not yet have grasped the severity of their situation. Rooney pointed out that while Spurs were traditionally expected to compete for European spots, their current form suggests they are more closely aligned with the struggling sides at the bottom. Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!A significant talking point from the defeat at Old Trafford was the dismissal of Spurs captain Cristian Romero, who was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Casemiro. While many pundits condemned the skipper for his sixth red card since joining the club, Rooney offered a more sympathetic view on the incident itself, even if he remains critical of the defender’s general discipline.“I can see why it's been given but I think it's a little bit harsh,” said Rooney. “Sometimes you lose your head at times. And I think he's done that throughout his time at Tottenham”. Despite the support for the specific challenge, Rooney was less impressed by Romero’s social media activity earlier in the week, adding: “What doesn't help is comments in the week before about the lack of players Tottenham have. He clearly speaks his mind as well. But unfortunately, you've got to go and back that up with performances when you're vocal like that - and I don't think he's done that."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingThe crisis has put immense pressure on manager Thomas Frank, who arrived from Brentford last summer to replace Ange Postecoglou. Frank was seen as the man to bring stability, but the transition has been fraught with difficulty. Rooney expressed significant sympathy for the Dane, remarking that the pressure of the job is visibly taking its toll on his appearance.“I feel for Thomas Frank because he looks tired, he looks like he's aged 10 years,” Rooney admitted. “That's what that Tottenham job has done to him in a short period of time. I hope they stick with him because he's a fantastic manager, but I think it's going to be very difficult for them to do that”. With the threat of the Championship becoming increasingly real, the next few weeks will define whether Frank can mastermind a great escape or if his tenure will reach a premature end.